2012 ASHES - and every 4 years beyond that

This is the most obvious move for the international calendar and needs to be done now! 2012 can put us back on a four-year cycle of Ashes series. We cannot fit in the every two years that we had in the past but can alternate venues every four years - promote the event and make it really special. It can also take place between GB and Aus to add that extra nostalgia.

It simply has to happen. There will not be another opportunity like this in the International calendar for a number of years. I also love the four nations and WC concepts and all three can have their place in the calendar

This is so simple it is untrue and everyone is happy. Imagine Aus v GB at the Sydney Cricket ground for the Ashes in 2012 - awesome. Some things just need preserving and sticking to!!

The whole Ashes concept can take on a new role with a new coach (or existing coach having to apply) and captain separate from England. It would also give the players who play for, or declare for, Ireland, Scotland and Wales something to aim for.

This is so simple it is untrue. Get on with it RFL!! Start the campaign now!

I completely agree with this and it would be fantastic for the game. In reading into this a bit more however, it seems that the Aussies want to use 2012 as an off season for their rep players.

Tough. The RLIF should agree the International calendar. Who the Aussies pick for the series is up to them. If they rest their stars and lose the Ashes to GB then they have to wait four years for a chance to win them back.

I completely agree with this and it would be fantastic for the game. In reading into this a bit more however, it seems that the Aussies want to use 2012 as an off season for their rep players.

Only in Rugby League.

The year before potentially the biggest international tournament in the game's history and instead of drumming up interest by playing some high profile fixtures, the biggest team decide to take a year off...

This is the most obvious move for the international calendar and needs to be done now! 2012 can put us back on a four-year cycle of Ashes series. We cannot fit in the every two years that we had in the past but can alternate venues every four years - promote the event and make it really special. It can also take place between GB and Aus to add that extra nostalgia.

It simply has to happen. There will not be another opportunity like this in the International calendar for a number of years. I also love the four nations and WC concepts and all three can have their place in the calendar

This is so simple it is untrue and everyone is happy. Imagine Aus v GB at the Sydney Cricket ground for the Ashes in 2012 - awesome. Some things just need preserving and sticking to!!

The whole Ashes concept can take on a new role with a new coach (or existing coach having to apply) and captain separate from England. It would also give the players who play for, or declare for, Ireland, Scotland and Wales something to aim for.

This is so simple it is untrue. Get on with it RFL!! Start the campaign now!

This is the most obvious move for the international calendar and needs to be done now! 2012 can put us back on a four-year cycle of Ashes series. We cannot fit in the every two years that we had in the past but can alternate venues every four years - promote the event and make it really special. It can also take place between GB and Aus to add that extra nostalgia.

It simply has to happen. There will not be another opportunity like this in the International calendar for a number of years. I also love the four nations and WC concepts and all three can have their place in the calendar

This is so simple it is untrue and everyone is happy. Imagine Aus v GB at the Sydney Cricket ground for the Ashes in 2012 - awesome. Some things just need preserving and sticking to!!

The whole Ashes concept can take on a new role with a new coach (or existing coach having to apply) and captain separate from England. It would also give the players who play for, or declare for, Ireland, Scotland and Wales something to aim for.

This is so simple it is untrue. Get on with it RFL!! Start the campaign now!

As in all these matters dealing with the NRL/ARL is never easy or straight forward. the NRL/AFL see problems when there are no problems, then they make up problems.

and we can start with a match against PNG in 70% humidity, and include a couple of games against New Zealand too. Then the whinging will start.. When will our contracted players rest, Too much domestic rugby, stuff the cup, trial matches? Forget that.

Sorry to be negative, but tours were great when players had some pride, but now all they are interested in is money, rest, and continuing their career as long as they can to fill a decent sized biography. The players don't want a six week tour at the end of a long hard season, they want "Time with their family", as though full time rugby doesn't give them enough time after a two or three hour training session each day is full time.

Ashes, Blox to that, whats the point? Keep GB as a world cup entry, & as a 4-nation thing then we might have a chance. GB Once every 4 years, rubbish.

Swinton RLFC est 1866 - Supplying England with players when most of your clubs were in nappies

my only change would be the year.. i would put it in 2011 and 4 years or 2012 ad then 2015 and every 4 years.. reason being it would be the middle of the world cup rota and allow the break between the 4 nations.. so you have the four nations every 2 years rather than in a 2 year group then a world cup thn an ashes then 2 4 nations.. which i think would be a bit lobsided.

Tough. The RLIF should agree the International calendar. Who the Aussies pick for the series is up to them. If they rest their stars and lose the Ashes to GB then they have to wait four years for a chance to win them back.

Couldn't.Agree.More!

They only have NRL games. They don't even have Cup games [yeah, they have the junior (Toyota) Cup but that's different]. If they shorten their domestic season that's up to them. Say each team only play each other once at a ground in-between their locations?... But I still think we NEED to bring back a 3, 4 or even 5 yearly GB Vs Aus game/'Ashes'/'Test series'.

If there was no way of the ARL agreeing to a 'Test' in 2012 against an Aus 'A' squad then why not play against NRL teams? Or even Queensland Maroons? Or NSW Blues?

Edited by HappyDave, 07 July 2010 - 09:23 AM.

"I've never seen a woman with hairy ears... And I've been to St Helens" - John Bishop

I'd be happy for the Aussies to have a rest in 2012, it is their choice. It absolutely shouldn't be up to the RLIF to decide whether they play or not.

I don't believe other sport's governing bodies arrange the fixtures for their nations, apart from the major tournaments.

Everything else is invitational and arranged between countries I believe.

If the Aussies don't want to play, we should arrange a tour to New Zealand. We should play PNG to start, play the winners of the Pacific Nations Cup (other than PNG) at their place and three tests in NZ.

Would Gareth Thomas or Lee Briers be able to play in a GB squad in 2012 or would they be too old by then?

Briers will be 34 (and has also retired from international RL). Thomas will be 38. Neither have been good enough to get in anyway, so it doesn't matter.

QUOTE (HappyDave @ Jul 7 2010, 01:59 PM)

Aren't any of the Welsh guys in the Crusaders squad good enough to play in a GB squad? And are there any really talented Scots playing in the Super League or in the 'Academy' squads at present?

There aren't any players that aren't already eligible for England that would be good enough for GB... yet. When there is only one professional team in GB that is outside of England, it isn't much of a surprise.

I'd like to see England dust off the Federation Shield in 2012 and defend it against New Zealand, France and PNG.

GB doesn't interest me.

Seeing as France & Wales aren't good enough to play England at present would that be against an England 'A' squad then?

Look how the 'Unionists' (play on words...) get behind their GB & Irish Lions Tours. Seeing as we used to play as GB I'd definitely like them to bring GB back to RL for either 3, 4 or 5 yearly games/tours. Even if it is just against 'lesser' teams like; France, Lebonon, Italy, Tonga, Fiji or the Cook Islands, and if it's just the best of the Welsh 'Crusaders RL'/South Wales Scorpions players and Co-op Championships & Scottish National RL players. Hopefully in 20 - 50 years time we could have a GB team of first graders who could play against NZ & Aus?

Edited by HappyDave, 08 July 2010 - 11:16 AM.

"I've never seen a woman with hairy ears... And I've been to St Helens" - John Bishop

Hopefully in 20 - 50 years time we could have a GB team of first graders who could play against NZ & Aus?

you've got the timescale just about right....but then again by then maybe wales and scotland would'nt want to be apart of a GB team and want to go it alone....ireland have already said they want nothing to do with GB..